Core covering apparatus



4, 1940. H. s. KEAT|NG 2,200,955

' CORE COVERING APPARATUS Filed Mar ch 8, 1959 FIG. 3

. wveurok H. 5. K54 TING A TTORNE V Patented May 14, 1940 UNITED STATES CORE COVERING APPARATUS Herbert S. Keating, North Plainfield, N. J., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 8, 1939, Serial No. 260,527

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a core covering apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for serving insulating strands to a conductor core.

In the manufacture of insulated wires or conductors, particularly in the art of telephony, it is in some instances desirable to cover the conductors with cotton strands and subsequently apply a coating of a suitable insulating material, such as cellulose acetate, on the strand covering. It is further desirable that the diameter of-the insulated conductor thus, formed be uniform throughout, yet it is difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish such a result if the strand covering is not uniform. Furthermore, the uniformity of the strand covering does not depend entirely upon the proper laying of the strands on the conductor as the strands vary in thickness but depends considerably upon the application of pressure to the strand covering variable with variations in thickness of the strands in the covering. An object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient and practical core covering apparatus.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises a core guide conditioned to guide and support a core while strands of insulating material are served thereto and direct the strand covered core past a polishing element to polish the strand covering, the polishing element being normally urged into engagement with the covering and provided with an adjustable stop to limit its movement toward the covered core.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus; I

Fig. 2 is an enlargedplan View of the apparatus, and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along theline'33 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, numeral l designates a rotary hollow spindle having a central passageway H for the advancement of a conductor l2 longitudinally therethrough. A base I3 is centrally apertured for a conductor guide i5 the lower portion of which is cylindrical in cross section and extends through the base l3 into the hollow spindle ID, a passageway 16 through this portion aligning with the passageway II in the spindle. The guide I5 is secured in the spindle by any suitable means, such as a lock nut IT. The base 13 is secured to the guide H: by any suitable means, such as a set screw 20,

(char-47) thus making it possible to adjust the position of the base l3 relative to the guide. From a position slightly above the base l3 and throughout the remaining upper portion of the guide the cross sectional contour thereof is as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this contour being substantially semi-cylindrical excepting the portion 2| which cooperates with the fiat surface 22 in forming a groove leading into the passageway it for the further guidance of the conductor I2.

A sleeve 25 mounted upon the spindle It serves as a support for a spool 26 of strand material indicated at 21. The spool 26 is positioned in a cup shaped housing 28 which carries eyelets 29 or other. suitable strand guides to guide the strands 21 from the spool as they are advanced to the conductor. Another strand guide 30 is mounted upon the base I3 and has laterally projecting fingers 3| to separate the strands into groups and guide them in definite paths about 5 the guide l5. The general path of the strands upon leaving the guide 3!) is followed clockwise (Fig. 3) about the back or rounded portion of the guide I5, around the portion 2| thereof and clockwise about the conductor l2.

An adjustable polishing element of the contour shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has a polishing surface 36 normally urged a limited distance toward the covered conductor. The polishing element has an apertured projection 38 by the aid of g which the element is pivotally supported upon a support 40 which in the present embodiment is in the form of a rod threadedly connected at its lower end to the base I3, as indicated at M. The

threaded connection 4| makes possible the roy tary adjustment of the support 40 relative to the base l3 and also relative to the guide 15. The support may be locked in any suitable adjusted position by a screw 43, the latter being disposed in the base 13. A helical spring disposed concentric with the support 40 has its lower end held against movement, while its upper end is fixed to the polishing element, urging the polishing element clockwise toward the covered conductor.

This movement of the polishing element may be the movement of the polishing element toward the conductor.

Referring now to the operation of the apparatus, let it be assumed that the apparatus shown is rotated counterclockwise, viewing Fig. 3, through the rotation of the spindle I while the conductor I2 is held against rotation, yetis axially advanced at a predetermined speed through the passageways I! and I6, along the groove in the upper portion of the element l6, and finally between the, guide and the polishing element 35. This operation will cause the threads 21 to be served to the conductor, where they will lie in uniform convolutions on the conductor. However, due to the fact that the strands vary slightly in thickness throughout their lengths it is not possible to cause the strand covering to be uniform in diameter merely by its passing longitudinally of the guide I 5. It is necessary to add a polishing means in the form of a smooth surface, applying a definite pressure to the strand covering, within a limited movement, and in a rotating path to uniformly lay the strands. It has been found that variations in the type of strand employed require variation in the positioning of the polishing member relative to the core to accomplish the best results. Furthermore, the use of strands of varying sizes or grades further necessitates variation in the positioning of the polishing element relative to the core. Therefore, the polishing element has been made adjustable and the adjustment thereof may be accomplished by first loosening the set screw 43, then rotating the support so through the aid of 'a. suitable tool to vary the angular position of the surfaces 49, and when the desired positionof the surfaces has been.

reached the support may again be locked by tightening the set screw 43.

When the stop position i for the polishing element necessary adjustment made, the covered conductor passing from between the guide and polishing element will be uniform in diameter. The polishing element, therefore, has a normal position relative to the path of movement of the conductor which is determined by the guide. With the polishing element in its normal position a predetermined desired pressure will be applied to the covering to fold in the loose fibres, which might be present, and form, by compressing, a smooth surface of a definite circular contour. Occasionally thinner and thicker portions of the covering are presented to the polishing element due to variations in the thickness of the strands. When thinner portions appear less pressure'will be applied thereto due to the limited inward movement of the polishing element. The thinner portions will, therefore, be substantially equal in diameter to the other portions. When thicker portions appear, tending to move the polishing element away from its stop, the force of the spring 45 increases the pressure of the element on such thicker portions to cause them to be substantially equal in diameter to the other portions.

Therefore, the polishing. element is positioned relative to the guide to apply a suitable pressure to a covered conductor to form portions of the core, of a standard thickness, into a definite finished diameter, to apply less pressure to thinner portions to form such portions into the same diameter and to apply increasing pressure to thicker portions to formsuch portions into the same diameter.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is illustrative only and may be widely modi- 35 has been determined and the.

fied and departed from in many ways without.

departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as pointed out in and limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A core covering apparatus comprising a guide movable in a fixed path about a longitudinally advancing core having a fibre covering, a polishing element movable with the guide and cooperating therewithto compress the fibre covering, means to support the element for move-.

ment relative to the guide, a stop member movable to vary the movement of the element toward the guide, and means tending to hold the element.

in engagement with the stop member to cause application of pressure to the covered core varying with variations in the thickness of the covering to cause the compressed covering to be uniform in diameter.

2. A core covering apparatus comprising a guide movable in a fixed path about a longitudinally advancing core having a fibre covering, a

polishing element movable with the, guide and I polishing element movable with the guide and cooperating therewith to compress the fibre covering, and means to position the element a selected distance from the guide to cause application of presure varying within a predetermined limit to the covered core with variations in the thicnkess of the covering within a predetermined limit to cause the compressed covering to be uniform in diameter. 1

4. A core covering apparatus comprising a guide movable in a fixed path about a longitudinally advancing core having a fibre covering,'a polishing element movable with the guide and cooperating therewith to compress the fibre covering, means to position the element a selected distance from the guide to cause application of pressure varying within a predetermined limit to the covered core with variations in the thickness of the covering within a predetermined limit to cause the compressed covering to be uniform in diameter, and means tending to hold the element in the position and cause application of anincreased pressure to the covered core when the thickness thereof is beyond the predetermined limit. r

5. A core covering apparatus comprising a guide movable in a fixed path about a longitudinally advancing core having a fibre covering, a polishing element, a pivotal mounting therefor, a member movable with the guide to support the mounting, and means disposed on the mounting to position the element a limited distance from the guide to cause application of pressure to the covered core varying with variations in the thickness of the covering to cause the compressed covering to be uniform in diameter.

6. A core covering apparatus comprising a guide movable in a fixed path about a longitudinally advancing core having a fibre covering, a polishing element, a pivotal mounting therefor having a stop portion to limit the position of the element relative to the guide, and amember movable with the guide to support the mounting for adjustment to vary the position of the stop portion.

'7. A core covering apparatus comprising a guide movable in a fixed path about a longitudinally advancing core having a fibre covering, a polishing element, a pivotal mounting therefor having a stop portion to limit the position of the element relative to the guide, a member movable with the guide to support the mounting for ad justment to vary the position of the stop portion, and means to lock the mounting inadjusted position.

8. A core covering apparatus comprising a guide movable in a fixed path about a longitudinally advancing core having a fibre covering, a polishing element, a pivotal mounting therefor having a stop portion to limit the position of the element relative to the guide, a member movable with the guide to support the mounting for adjustment to vary the position of the stop portion, and spring means disposed upon the mounting to urge the element into engagement with the stop portion.

9. A core covering apparatus comprising a longitudinally grooved guide movable in a fixed path about a core having a fibre covering advancing longitudinally in the groove of the guide, a polishing element movable with the guide and cooperating therewith to compress the fibre covering, and means to cause application of pressure to the covered core varying with variations in the thickness-oi the covering, and means associated With the last named means to limit the application of pressure to the covered core to cause the compressed covering to be uniform in diameter.

HERBERT S. KEATING. 

